Fix a Heart
by miley-avril
Summary: Snow, James, and Emma talk just after the curse breaks. Yet another Charming Family reunion from me. I know, guys, I know.


**HEY GUYS, I'M BACK!**

**DON'T OWN "ONCE UPON A TIME" OR ITS CHARACTERS. TOO BAD.**

Emma stands on the roof of the hospital, looking out over Storybrooke, tears mingling with rain, choking back the sobs that are clawing at her throat. She doesn't care about the rain that's drenching her or the wind that's whipping her golden locks into her face. The purple smoke cloud had passed a few minutes ago and so far seems benign. She'd been with Henry and on a pure stroke of luck she had glanced out of his door to see Mary Margaret and David –no, Snow White and Prince Charming come running through the hall. Her son was fine (he was bugging her to go say hi to the fairytale characters) and she'd bolted up to the roof. _My parents wanted me_, she keeps repeating mentally. All her life she'd wondered what she'd done wrong; how could an infant even _do_ anything wrong? Finding out that everything she'd ever known wasn't true was both relieving and agonizing at the same time. She hears the door creak open and closes her eyes, bracing herself for the one thing she doesn't want to do right now. To their credit, her parents stand right by the door, giving her space. She decides that once she's turned around, she's going to yell at them for being selfish, for sending her to this world all alone. Her resolve melts as soon as she sees their proud and pained faces. The sobs finally break free and Snow and James have to force themselves to walk over. They search her eyes for permission to hug. Emma wants to let them, desperately, but instead wraps her arms around her torso. She's trying to hard not to fall apart completely; she's supposed to be mad at them.

"Emma…" Snow says the name as if it's sacred. Cursing, the blonde closes the gap between them and allows herself to be embraced by both of her parents. It feels almost as natural as the first time Henry hugged her. James kisses the top of her head, and Emma stiffens. Snow resists the urge to scold him. She'd already warned her husband not to do too much physical contact. She's still shaking, and whether it's from the cold or the sobbing neither can tell. "We should get you inside. You'll probably end up with a cold." Snow says. Emma wants to puke. She's already about to hyperventilate being outside and a roof to jump off of if need be. She's not suicidal and the roof is only twenty feet up and besides, she's at the hospital, she reasons. Not trusting her voice, she shakes her head. "Or we can stay here." Snow relents, shooting a worried look at James.

"Are you okay?" He asks, his voice thick with emotion.

"Do I look okay?" Emma snaps, pulling back and stalking towards the edge again, much too close for her parents' comfort. "I just fought a _freaking dragon_, watched my son die then come back to life, and met my parents." She sits, dangling her legs off the side. Snow winces, thinking of how soaked her daughter already is and knows this won't help. Emma swings her legs absentmindedly, lost in thought.

"How mad are you?" James sits beside her, followed by Snow. She, however, sits beside him so as not to wall Emma in.

"I'm trying to be mad. I guess part of me is. You guys sent me all alone here and that's the reason I've had such a crappy life. I know why you did it, though: to give me my best chance." Snow shudders as she remembers Emma telling stories about her past.

"Exactly." She places a hand on her daughter's hand, but the blonde snatches it away.

"It doesn't make it any less painful!" Any little bit of self-control Emma had regained is gone. "I've spent twenty eight years thinking that my parents hated me so much they couldn't even dump me in front of a church or a hospital!" James and Snow listen stoically, trying to be strong for her. "And I'm supposed to be the savior! It's not fair."

"Emma, you already broke the curse." Snow points out gently. "You don't have to worry about that anymore. For putting that responsibility on you, we are _so_ sorry. It was the only way to keep you safe."

"Logically, I understand that. But all the years of abandonment have taken their toll. It was so painful, so of course I still harbor some anger." Emma says slowly, not daring to meet her parents' gaze.

"You have every right to be mad." James admits, reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Just know that we did it with your best interests in mind, no matter how you feel."

"I know you did." The blonde finally looks at them, tears once again gathered along her lash line. "And… I appreciate that. I'm okay."

"Really?" Snow and James look at her hopefully.

"Yeah." Emma nods. "It might still hurt, but it'll get better. You can bandage the damage, but you never really can fix a heart."

**SO, THIS WAS JUST A SHORT AND SWEET THING FOR FUN. I'D LOVE TO HEAR WHAT YOU THINK!**


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